11 July 2022

Canberra's spoken! These are the best places to grab a hot chocolate

| Evelyn Karatzas
San Churro hot chocolates

Where are you going for a hot chocolate this World Chocolate Day? Photo: San Churro.

For World Chocolate Day, we asked you to tell us your go-to hot chocolate places, the results are in and they’re delicious!

Mere hours after posting our call-out, we were overwhelmed with almost 200 suggestions as to which shop or café is the ultimate home for a hot chocolate in the capital.

Canberra, here’s what you told us:

San Churro hot chocolate menu

The range of thick Spanish hot chocolates at San Churros. Photo: San Churro.

1. San Churro

Despite only having one store in Canberra, the love for San Churro was undeniable.

But why San Churro?

Is it the variety of hot chocolates that grab your attention and tickle your taste buds? Or is it the use of couverture chocolate that makes it irre-sip-able?

One of our commenters, Lorena Skipper, doesn’t explain, she just says San Churro has the best hot chocolate “hands down”.

With classic milk, dark and white hot chocolates, mochas, or ‘Marshmallow hot chocolate bombs’, as well as a special thick Spanish range, there’s a lot to choose from and keep going back for.

San Churro Woden is open from 9 am to 10 pm Monday to Thursday, Friday from 9 am to 12 am, Saturday from 10 am to 12 am and Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm. It’s located at Westfield Woden, Tenancy B001/8 Bradley St, Phillip.

Hot Chocolate

A Hug Mug filled with decadently thick Hot Chocolate. Photo: Max Brenner.

2. Max Brenner

Max Brenner is a Canberra favourite, despite almost disappearing from the region.

Once there were chocolate shops on the Kingston Foreshore and the NewActon precinct, but only one remains, in Westfield Belconnen.

According to our readers, though, Max Brenner is a favourite because of its signature ‘Hug Mug’ hot chocolates … there’s just something about an oddly shaped mug that makes the drink taste so much better!

There are three different varieties of hot chocolates.

The ‘Classic’ range – with options for milk, dark or white chocolate.

The ‘Maxified’ range – offers flavours including Mocha, Mexican Spicy, Mint, Salted Caramel and Coconut.

There’s also an option to create your own hot chocolate experience where you can pour in your own choice of chocolate and mix in your warm milk.

Now Koko Black’s gone, reader Beth Baldwin reckons Max Brenner’s top of the pile.

Max Brenner in Belconnen is open from 9 am to 10 pm, seven days a week. It is located at 324 Benjamin Way, Belconnen.

Kinder hot chocolate

The Kinder hot chocolate at Café Cherry Beans. Photo: Café Cherry Beans.

3. Café Cherry Beans

Café Cherry Beans claim to have the ‘Most loved coffee by Australians’, but what about hot chocolates?’

Canberrans reckon their hot chocolates are among the best, with the taste of molten Belgium chocolate, and white, dark and milk chocolate options – and, yeah, they’re pretty spectacular.

Why?

According to reader Sharon Allan, it’s because “they use real chocolate”.

Sharon has one more word to describe it: “delish!”

Nuff said.

Cafe Cherry Beans can be found in the Canberra Civic Centre, Canberra Outlet Centre (DFO), Westfield Woden, Westfield Belconnen, South Point Shopping Centre, Majura Park Shopping Centre and Market Place Gungahlin.

Lindt

Tough times are easier to deal with when there are four different options of chocolate goodness to choose from. Photo: Lindt Chocolate Shops and Cafés Australia.

4. Lindt Chocolate Shop

Located at the Canberra Outlet Centre (DFO), you’ll find the Lindt Chocolate Shop. And lots of very happy customers (it is a chocolate shop, so that’s not really a shock, TBH).

It’s also where you’ll find their signature assorted Lindt chocolate balls and gift boxes, gold bunny chocolates and a café selling freshly brewed coffee and, of course, hot chocolate.

Made with the finest flowing Lindt chocolate and high-quality ingredients, it’s no shock why everyone in Canberra who’s tried their hot chocolates loves their hot chocolates.

They can be ordered in four flavours: milk chocolate, salted caramel, hazelnut and dark chocolate.

Lindt in the Canberra Outlet Centre is open seven days a week, from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 6 pm.

Hot chocolate

Enigma is a hidden gem located on Londsdale Street in Braddon. Photo: Enigma Fine Chocolates, Facebook.

5. Enigma Fine Chocolates

You’ll find 1000 cafes and counting on Lonsdale Street, but if hot chocs are your go-to, take a crack at Enigma Fine Chocolates.

They are known to have some of the best hot chocolates, and while you’re there, try out their handmade truffles, bars and all things cocoa while using chocolate and produce of the highest quality from around the corner and around the world.

Enigma Fine Chocolates is open six days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm and from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday.

It is located at Unit 65/30 Lonsdale St, Braddon.


READ ALSO: It’s winter, and Canberrans are drinking more whisky than ever


On the run? Don’t have time for the theatre of Kinder at Café Cherry Beans? Or maybe you’re on a budget but still need a winter warmup.

There’s always 7-Eleven. Not fancy enough? For reader Mary Jean, it’s hard to beat Macca’s which are everywhere and they’re open 24/7 so the hot chocolates at 3 am are on!

What did we miss? Let us know in the comments.

Original Article published by Evelyn Karatzas on Riotact.

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